Fans of George R. R. Martin...need some help please!

[Laura Stamps]

My husband is working his way through the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, and loving every minute of it. I have often heard GRRM is the best at what he does...that's a given. But my husband would like to know if there are other authors fans of GRRM also like to read, books that are smiliar in theme? What are your favorites besides GRRM?

Thanks!

[The Ace]

Yes, they do.

[Werthead]

Well, there's GRRM's other novels: Dying of the Light, Windhaven, Fevre Dream, The Armageddon Rag and Tuf Voyaging. There's also a series of books edited by George and featuring several of his stories, called Wild Cards, which is worth looking for. There were about 15-20 of them, last time I checked.

Then there's the two prequels to A Song of Ice and Fire: The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword. The prose version of the former is available in the GRRM Dreamsongs collection (which also features all of his worthwhile short fiction), whilst the prose version of the latter is available in Legends II, edited by Robert Silverberg. The former is also available as a graphic novel and the latter will be available in the same format from the end of this year. These two stories take place roughly 85-89 years prior to A Song of Ice and Fire and feature some events referenced in the novels.

GRRM himself recommends Robin Hobb (although I don't rate her highly), Jack Vance (brilliant author, check out The Lyonesse Trilogy and The Dying Earth series), Roger Zelazny, Daniel Abraham and Scott Lynch, among others.

I'd second the recommendation for Scott Lynch, whose books feature a similar sense of humour to GRRM's and are likewise quite gritty, although they're not as political. The first book is The Lies of Locke Lamora. Its sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, is out next month.

Similarly Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy is worth a look. One of his main characters, Glokta, is reminiscent (in a good way, rather than a ripped-off way) of Tyrion. The first two books are The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged. The final book is out early next year.

Scott Bakker is essentially the darkness and grittiness of Westeros on overdrive. His Prince of Nothing Trilogy is worth a look. The three books are The Darkness That Comes Before, The Warrior-Prophet and The Thousandfold Thought. There will be sequels as well.

David Gemmell has a similar gritty feel to GRRM. Probably his best first book to check out (he has lots of series) is Wolf in Shadow, although some may recommend Legend instead.

Guy Gavriel Kay appeals a lot to GRRM fans, especially The Lions of Al-Rassan and The Last Light of the Sun. Slightly different in tone but still very good are Tigana, A Song for Arbonne and the two-volume The Sarantine Mosaic series.

JV Jones' Sword of Shadows series is reminiscent of ASoIaF. However, to fully appreciate it you may want to read The Book of Words Trilogy first, which has some of the same characters. The Book of Words is fun, but less gritty and more juvenile.

Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series (seven books starting with King's Dragon, and for once it's actually a complete series) features a similar mildly revision take on medieval history fused with fantasy. It's worth a look but does flag a bit in the middle.

Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series is actually rather different to ASoIaF, but after GRRM Erikson is probably the most critically respected epic fantasy author working today. It may be worth checking out. The first book is Gardens of the Moon.

[Florian the Fool]

You forgot Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (three books in hardback, four in paperback , starting with The Dragonbone Chair), and Tolkein of course.

I'd second the recommendations for Gemmell and Kay, which are about the only ones on Wert's list that I've read, and I also enjoyed Ray Feist's Magician, although I've never read in further in the series.

I'd also put in a nod to Miller Lau's Last Clansman trilogy. Not because she writes especially like GRRM, but just because she's a good friend of mine and I like to mention her name whenever I can. She's now writing under the name Deborah J Miller and the first volume of her latest trilogy, Swarmthief's Dance, had been out for a while as well. The second should be out in the autumn.

Well, that's me done. I will now sit back and watch this thread turn into another round of Jordan bashing....

[Snagas Tender Blades]

I would also definatly recommend Gemmell! For me he is the greatest author that I have ever read, tho I am probably saying this in the wrong part of the forum!

Also look out for The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Just finished it and it was great, tho not quite so gritty, if thats what you are looking for.

Eriksons's Malazan series is great if you like casts so huge that the glossary is the same size as an average chapter, and the plots so epic and long it makes LOTR look quite straight forward and simple. Not for everyone tho.

I almost forgot- avoid Robert Jordan at all costs!

[Laura Stamps]

Wow...thanks everyone for your help!! These suggestions are great, and I'm writing them all down on my TBR list. So many too...wonderful!!

You are the best.

[AandKsavetheDAY]

does anyone know of some books with the same level (or even more) of political intrigue found in asoiaf? I could definately enjoy that.

[Werthead]

Originally Posted by AandKsavetheDAY

does anyone know of some books with the same level (or even more) of political intrigue found in asoiaf? I could definately enjoy that.

Probably Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn or Raymond E. Feist's Magician (both are pretty lightweight compared to GRRM though). There's tons of intrigue in Malazan but it's rather differently done. Probably Prince of Nothing comes closest overall to GRRM.

I've heard good things about Gregory Keyes' Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone series, which is supposedly heavily influenced by GRRM and featuring similar ideas. Not sure what the levels of political intrigue are in that series though (I'm waiting until it's finished before I start it; the fourth and last book is due out early next year).

Actually, just remembered that Paul Kearney's Monarchies of God series features a fair amount of politicking as well.

[the_faery_queen]

i like hobb but i don't think she's anything like martin.
i didn't like gregory keyes. i thought it was so weak and stupid. in fact, i can't remember much about the first book, other than not liking it that much (and having the feeling it wasn't developed in a character sense, that i had no real empathy for anyone in it) and didn't know the others were even out, i cared so little
*shrug*

[No Inspiration]

I would second Guy Gavriel Kay's works, though they aren't as political overall as GRRM. The most politiking is probably in A Song for Arbonne, but again, done in a different way.

Another idea, if you're interested in the Medival fantasy type work, are some of the series' done on the Arthurian legend. Not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but Jack Whyte's `A Dream of Eagles` series starts several generations prior to King Arthur and involves some politics. There is not alot, if any, magic in this series, either.

Good luck!

Lena.

[ClubbingBabySeals]

Although I do believe that Martin is in a league of his own with regard to many of his contemporaries, I would say that the closest I've seen to the grit and "realism" of a Martin-esque fant-historical would be Wilbur Smith, or Jacqueline Carey.

[Somebloke]

Agreed. Carey's an excellent read, so long as you're prepared to accept her rather broad views on sex. But boy, can that woman burn a scene into your mind.

[AandKsavetheDAY]

Thanks, I'll definately check some of those out. I've got to keep myself busy until Dance comes out, and I don't want to read the already-released chapters because then I'll just explode with all the anticipation... Thanks for the help!

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by No Inspiration

Another idea, if you're interested in the Medival fantasy type work, are some of the series' done on the Arthurian legend. Not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but Jack Whyte's `A Dream of Eagles` series starts several generations prior to King Arthur and involves some politics. There is not alot, if any, magic in this series, either.

Along those lines I'd highly recommend Bernard Cornwell's 'Warlord Chronicles': The Winter King, Enemy of God, and Excalibur, which a few of us suspect may have influenced aSoIaF.

[Werthead]

Originally Posted by Culhwch

Along those lines I'd highly recommend Bernard Cornwell's 'Warlord Chronicles': The Winter King, Enemy of God, and Excalibur, which a few of us suspect may have influenced aSoIaF.

Difficult, as GRRM started writing A Game of Thrones four years before The Winter King came out

He is a fan of Cornwell though, and I believe he had read the earlier Sharpe books at that point.